Switching device



pr. 3, 1923. 15450253 -H. A. DOUGLAS SWITCHING 'DEVICE Filed Aug. l5, 1918 Patented Alim'. 3, 1923. y

UNITED. STATES.'

, y 1,450,253 PA'IENT.rinunci- 1.

maar A. DOUGLAS, or BnoNsoN, MICHIGAN. l

' swrrcmisrel DEVICE.

Application led August 15, 1918. Serial No. 250,623..

My invention relates to switching devices,

the switching device of my invention being of particular service when employed in conjunction with incandescent lamp supporting sockets, though the invention is not to be thus restricte Incarrying out my invention I employ a shell and aligned contacts held thereby and therein. 'A switching member is employed which is accessible for operation laterally of the shell, this switching member comprising a contact carrier interposed between said aligned contacts 'and itself carrying a switching contact adapted for alignment and simultaneous engagement with said aligned contacts, one of these aligned contacts being spring'pressed into engagement with said switching contact upon said carrier and which switching contact engages the other of said aligned contacts. The contact carrier of 4the switching member, being movable laterally or transversely of the shell, is adapted to bring the switching contact into or out of simultaneous engagement with the aforesaid aligned contacts to make'or break circuit.

I will explain my invention more fullyV by reference t'o the accompanying drawing showing the preferred embodiment thereof and' in which Fig. lis a longitudinal sectional view of a cowl lamp made in accordance with the' invention; Fig. 2 .1s a view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Like actors o reference throughout the different figures. A

The device of my present invention 1s shown in conjunction with an incandescent lamp structure that forms the subject matter of my Patent No..1,285,071, dated November 19, 1918. v

The main socket or shell 1 is supported within a ferrule 2 having a flange 3 which is screwed to the dash board or other mounting 4. This main socket contains a contact carrier 5, and -as the structure illustrated is a so-called two pole structure but to ,pressed by coiled springs Sand 9.

rts are indicated by similar charwhich the invention is not to be limited, this contact carrier supports two spring contacts comprising contacting plungers 6 and 7 which. are respectively forwair'ldly he plunger contact 7 and the coiled spring 9 operate in the bore of a terminal conductor 10 to which a 4circuit conductor 11 is secured. The other circuit conductor 11 is secured to a terminal conductor 13 having -a bore in its forward end. A plunger contact 14 operates in this bore and -is pressed forwardly by a coiled spring 15. A switching metallic contact 16 is carried by and passes transversely through the bar 17 of insulating material, this bar passing trans-'1 versely through theshell 1 and being movable laterally of such shell. .The spring 8 and the contact 6 are operable in a current conducting spring barrel 18 which is aligned with the plunger contact 14. When the switching contact 16 is placed in alignment -with the plunger contact 14 and the spring barrel 18, the plunger contact 6 is electrically connected with the circuit conductor 12 whereby any circuit continuing device that is connected with theforward ends of the contacts 6 and 7 is included in circuit. When the switching contact 16 is moved out of alignment with the elements.14' and 18 the circuit is open.

The switching contact 16has arecessed.

seat 161 which is engaged by the forward rounded end of the plunger contact 14 when the switching contact 16 is placed in alignment with the contacts 14 and 18` thereby to hold the switching member 16, 17 in place when the circuit is to be closed. The

insulating bar 17 has another recessed seat 162 engageable by the rounded end of the plunger contact 14 to.hold said switchin contact out of alignment with the aligne contacts 14 and 18 when the circuit is to be opened. Itv will be observed that the inner end or basey of the spring barrel is inwardly extended beyond' the portion of' the contact carrier 5 supporting this spring barrel vin order to assure good contact betweenthis spring barrel or cont-act 18 and the switching contact 16. This extended portion of the contact 18 projects into Ia recess 171 formed in the bar 17 and elongated lengthwise thereof, this recess having a depth which is less than the'length or. thicktends inwardly from the portion of the con- ,11o ness of the part of the contact 18 that ex- 2 l 21,450,253V l also maintains the bar 17 'in assembly with the shell or 'socket 1 since it engages one or the other of the ends of the recess 171 vto prevent the complete withdrawal of said Y be placed nearer the inner end of said shell than is normally the case in order that one end of the bar or the yother may pass by the contact 18 to bring this recess 171 in position to receive the rearwardly projecting end of said contact `as, said bar is pushed through the shell. To this end the bar is movable longitudinally of the shell on which account the opening 11 in the contact car rier 5 is rearwardly extended beyond the normal location of the bar 17. If it is desired to withdraw the bar it is ressed rearwardlyagainst the force of.. tlib spring 15 to place the recess 171 in the position in which the. contact 18 is-not received' therein so that. such contact will not obstruct the withdrawing movement of said bar. The ends lof the recess 171 desirablycorrespond to the' locations of the vrecesses 161, 162, one end of the `-recess 171 being engagedby the contact 18 when circuit is opened and-the other end by such contact when the circuit is closed.

The forward end of the main socket 1 has bayonet channels formed therein` these 19, by being in the form of s ots, permit the l coupling of a circuit extending plugwith and within the main socket 1 when the supplementalf socket 2 0 is removed. An ineendescent lamp bulb 22 has its base supplied with bayonet projections 23 which are insertable within the bayonet channelsor slots 24 formed in the supplemental shell 2O in order se rabl to couple the lam bulb with sai supp ementalsocket. The ase of j this lamp bulb constitutesa contact carrier which supports the contacts 25 and 26 which are connected with the terminals of the lamp bulb filament. These contacts 25v and 26 are engaged bythe forwardly sprin pressed contacts 6 and 7 when the main an supplemental sockets have been assembled and when the lamp bulb is assembled with the supplemental socket. These contacts 6, 7, pressing forwardly upon the contacts upon the lamp bulbl base, maintain all of said bayonet projections 21 and 23 in engagement with their seats in the corresponding bayonet channels 19 and 24. When the aforesaid switching contact 16 is aligned with the contacts 14 and 18 to be engaged thereby the incandescent lamp bulb is in circuit and when this contact 16 is out of such alignment the circuit of such lamp bulb is open.

' Where cowl or hood is to be for the lamp bulb the socket 20 esirabl has a cylindrical skirt thereon uponwhicii the cylindrical cowl 28 may be disposed and on which skirt said cowl may be turned to adjust the location of the light emitting opening 281 formed in the cowl.

The supplemental socket and cowl lamp features form the subject matter of my aforesaid co-pending application.

While I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown rovided sop' as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

but having thus described my invention claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following Switching mechanism includin a shell; a bar of insulating material passing transversely through the shell and movable transversely and longitudinally of the shell; aligned contacts held within the shell; and a switching contact simultaneously engageable with said aligned contacts and carried by and extending transversely through said bar and movable by the bar into and out I- im of alignment with said aligned contacts to close and open circuit, said bar hafvin a rece formed in one side thereof and sm-Y gated lengthwise of the bar and to which recess said switching contact extends and into which recess one of said aligned-contacts projects, the other contact being a spring'contact constantly pressing the ar toward the first Contact to maintain it in said recess thereby to maintain the assembly of the bar and shell.

1n witness whereof, 1 hereunto subscribe my name this 12th day of August A. D., 1918.

HARRY A. DUGLAS. 

